Toronto roughs up Phillies' Jamie Moyer

DUNEDIN, Fla. (AP) -- Jamie Moyer hit a rough patch in his latest outing for the Philadelphia Phillies, giving up five runs in three innings to Toronto in a "B" game Monday.

Moyer, the oldest player in the majors at 47, allowed eight hits. The first four Blue Jays batters got hits.

Moyer and Kyle Kendrick were the favorites when camp opened to land the fifth and final spot in the rotation for the two-time NL champions. The Phillies open the regular season April 5 in Washington.

"That's their choice," Moyer said.

Moyer's tough outing came one day after Kendrick extended his spring training scoreless streak to nine innings.

Moyer was originally set to pitch in 'B' games during the first two weeks this spring because he is on the mend from two major offseason surgeries. He had a sports hernia operation in October and had procedure on his left knee in January.

The lefty is scheduled to pitch in his first big league exhibition game Saturday in relief of ace Roy Halladay.

Moyer, who was unhappy when the Phillies replaced him with Pedro Martinez in the rotation in August, sounded Monday as if he was less concerned about what his future role would be for the 2010 season.

"It's all about contributing," he said.

Moyer's start marked the third straight time he's appeared in a 'B' game. But unlike the first two times, the Blue Jays sent a major league lineup.

Jose Bautista, All-Star second baseman Aaron Hill, Adam Lind and Vernon Wells got consecutive hits to turn a 1-0 deficit into a 2-1 lead before Moyer recorded his first out. After Moyer struck out Lyle Overbay and John Buck, Chris Lubanski hit a two-run double off the right-field wall.

Moyer allowed another run in the third inning. He struck out four and walked one. He had thrown six shutout innings in his previous outings.

"I didn't think I threw very well," Moyer said. "I elevated a few too many pitches. I threw a lot of poor pitches and I threw a lot of good pitches. I'm the type of person that is going to use my energy and put it into the good pitches. I know the bad pitches were bad pitches. And they hit them.

"I'll never be a guy that's going to throw an excuse at you. I had the ball and I threw the pitches. It's my responsibility to pitch well. I do know that it's not going to be well every time but I also know it's not going to poor every time."

Throughout the spring, the Phillies' staff has expressed confidence in what a healthy Moyer can bring to the rotation. Despite the offseason surgeries, Moyer was on schedule with the rest of the healthy pitchers when camp opened last month.

Last week, he was declared the favorite in the fifth starter's race by pitching coach Rich Dubee.

"I think Jamie comes in with a big track record and you can't just go away with that," Dubee said. "What did he win last year, 12 games? And he won 16 the year before. He has a track record of being a winning pitcher."

But Dubee also can't ignore Kendrick's performance this spring.

Kendrick had back-to-back sparkling performances against the New York Yankees before blanking the Baltimore Orioles on two hits in four innings Sunday.

"Kyle's thrown the ball very, very well. He has pitched extremely well," Dubee said Sunday. "If you saw Kyle two years ago, you knew he had a good sinker. But he wasn't a complete pitcher. Now you look at him and you say, 'There's a complete pitcher.' He's been nothing short of fantastic so far."`